Delayed action interrupter electric impulse apparatus



July 27, 1943. A. P. JoRGENsoN DELAYED ACTION INTERRUPTER ELECTRIC IMPULSE APPARATUS Filed Deo. 7, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 1 .Inl

July 27, 1943 A. P. JoRGENsoN 2,325,249

DELAYED ACTION INTERRUPTER ELECTRIC IMPULSE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Shep?l 2 lll lllll :W 38 39% 587735 37; I `136 p lNvENTOR m y BY g-W. MIB

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 27, 1943 v DELAYED ACTION INTERRUPTER ELECTRIC IMPULSE APPARATUS Arthur P. Jorgensen, Racine, Wis., assignor to Roan Mig. Co., Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December `7, 1939, Serial No. 308,003

Claims. (Cl. 175-365) This invention relates to delayed action electric interrupters vsuitable for producing timespaced electrical impulses at frequencies of the order of to 200 cycles per minute, more or less, which rates are found useful in electric fence chargers, sign flashers, and the like, and said invention resides in an improved fluid-delayed, electromagnetically-actuated interrupter having an approximately constant frequency over a substantial range of voltage variation.

Heretofore in the art a wide variety of electromagnetically-driven interrupters have been employed to give spaced impulses, such as are required for signal and electric fence-charging service. In many of these an object has been to achieve operation with great economy of electric energy consumption and to this end various forms of balance-wheels and pendulums` have been employed to produce the required spacingl of impulses. Such devices may be made to operate with a very low rate of energy consumption, but difficulty is experienced in obtaining approximately constant frequency with such clevices over substantial ranges of applied voltage. This is partly due to the fact that self-starting properties and good contact pressure are not obtainable with a dead-beat swing device and practically all such devices now in use employ a halfswing inertia member, which inherently exhibits a more rapid rate as the voltage falls od. Furthermore, in many such devices when excess voltage is applied, over-swing of the inertia member brings on an erratic behavior. These diniculties are more acute, due to the fact that it is citen convenient or necessary to employ dry cell batteries as an energy source and the well-known characteristics of these is to furnish a declining voltage as the life of the same progresses. In an effort to overcome these difficulties the tendency has been to make the inertia members larger and heavier and in so doing the devices become cumbersome and to a certain extent the desired low energy consumption is sacrificed.

In the apparatus of this invention, however, a novel form of pneumatic or duid-controlled stroke regulator is employed, which may be made compact without sacrificing its inherent tendency to maintain approximately constant rate of interruption over a substantial range of voltage variation and which will at all times provide adequate contact pressures. Further, the apparatus of this invention is not inclined to erratic behavior'or unexpected increase in rate when excess voltage is applied.

The apparatus of this invention is herein explained and described with the aid of the ace companying drawings in which there is set forth, by Way of illustration and not of limitation, one form in which the apparatus of this invention may be embodied. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation with parts shown in section of one form of the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, viewed through the plane 3-3 indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan View, in section, of the piston-rod and guide-sleeve of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, viewed through the plane L-fl indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail endelevation, in section, of the armature mount of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, viewed through the plane 5--5 indicated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram suitable for use in the apparatus of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which one form of the apparatus of this invention is shown, it will be noted that an open type transformer core l, composed of laminated iron or other suitable magnetic material, is mounted upon a base 2 by means of brackets 3, 4, 5, and 6, which brackets are fastened to the base by screws, as shown. These brackets are preferably composed of brass or other nonmagnetic material to the end that the principal return iiux path of core i may be directed through an armature l, composed of iron or other magnetic material, disposed beneath the core l in the position clearly shown in Fig. l.

The armature l is hingedly secured to the base 2 by means of a spring 8, spacer-block 9, in- Wardly-iacing ears of brackets 3 and 4, and bolts which pass therethrough, as clearly shown in the detail view Fig. 5. Gravity and the tension of spring 8 tend to separate armature l from core l and the air-gap between these parts in open position is xed by a factory-set adjustment provided for through an adjusting screw lil which acts against a spring-rest Il, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. After desired adjustment is attained, the screw l0 and its locknut are covered with solder or other sealing substance to close any slight opening through base 2. In the drawings solder l2 is shown covering the screw l0. In like manner the screws which hold brackets 3, 4, 5, and 6 and the rivets which hold rest II may be hermetically sealed with solder or other suitable cement.

Surrounding the central member of core I are primary and secondary windings, generally designated I3, which are employed in the apparatus. The primary winding is composed of a relatively few turns of wire of moderate gage. The leads energizing from the primary winding are shown in Fig. 2, where they are designated I4 and I5. The leads emerging from the secondary winding, which is composed of a larger number of turns of smaller gage wire, are designated I6 and I'I. The manner of connecting these leads is described in full later in this description.

To control the admission of current to the primary winding a pair of periodically-engaging contacts I8 and I9 are provided. Contact I8 is directly fastened to an outward extension of armature 'I and is in electrical contact therewith and with the base 2 through the spring 8 and mounting brackets 3 and 4. Contact I9, on the other hand, is movably carried through a rising and descending stroke upon a piston-rod 2| which forms a part of a stroke-regulating dashpot.

The stroke-regulating dashpot is enclosed within a cylinder 22 which is closed at the bottom by cylinder-head 23 from which there depends a concentrically positioned piston-rod guide-sleeve 29.- A cylinder 22 is supported by a clamp 9| surrounding guide-sleeve 29, which clamp is fastened by screws to a lug projecting at right angles from the upper end of bracket 5, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. Mounted upon the upper end of piston-rod 2| is a piston 25 dimensioned for a slip fit in the barrel of cylinder 22. In like manner the bore of guide-sleeve 2t, although substantially larger than the diameter of piston-rod 2| in its upper part, is constricted near its lower end. as shown, to engage the sides of the piston-rod 2| with a slip nt. 'I'he piston and piston-rod assembly are thus guided for rising and descending movement with little friction, the weight of the moving parts providing sufficient loading to cause the descending movement. By a system of valves and ports, however, a rapid rate of rise and a slower, regulated rate of fall of the piston and associated parts is provided. If desired, springs or other loading means may be provided to supplement or replace the weight of the moving parts.

To facilitate ready and rapid rise of the piston 25 and associated parts, large openings 26 in the piston-head 23 are provided. These openings are controlled by check-valve discs 2'I which are loosely held in place by check-valve gages 29 having side openings around a large portion of their periphery.

Upon rise of piston 25, even at a rapid rate, little pneumatic restraint to movement occurs, due to the large size of the openings 26 and the ease with which valve discs 2l are raised from their seats.

To control descent of piston 25 and associated parts, say from the position in which Vthey are shown in the drawings, a series of relief ports is provided. The initial rate of descent of piston 25 is principally dependent upon a large initial relief port 29, which permits air to escape quite freely until the same is closed by piston 25 itself. This part of the descent of piston 25 is quickly accomplished. After closing of port 29 further escape of air takes place at a much restricted rate through calibrated intermediate escape oriiice 30. The intermediate escape orifice 30 is the predominant factor in regulating the total time of descent of piston 25, since it may be made small enough so that all but a very small part of the time consumed in the total downward excursion of piston 25 occurs after closing of port 29. As the piston 25 and piston-rod 2| approach the lower end of their downward excursion, a nal relief port 3l in piston-rod 2| becomes uncovered beyond the lower end of Vguidesleeve 24. Port 3| communicates with a central longitudinally extending bore in piston-rod 2|, the upper end of which is in communication with re-entry port 32, as shown. The bore of guidesleeve 24 above the lower constricted part thereof is substantially larger than the diameter oi piston-rod 2|, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and, as a consequence, upon the uncovering of final relief port 3| ready escape of air remaining in cylinder 22 is permitted and piston 25 and associated parts, including contact I9, drop rapidly for a short space until contacts I8 and I9 come into engagement.

'I'he engaging of contacts I 8 and I9 completes a circuit as follows: Contact I9 is in electrical connection with highly flexible spiral lead 33, which is brought to an insulating mounting 34 through which said lead passes to make electrical connection with primary lead I5, previously described. The other lead I4 of the primary connects with a hermetically sealed insulated lead-in 35, which passes through the base 2. From lead-in 35 the circuit passes through supply lead 36 to a source of electricity, such as a storage battery or a, dry cell battery, and from thence back through supply lead 3'! to a manual switch 38, which may be used to stop and start the apparatus. A short lead 39 extends from the other side of switch 38 to the hermetically sealed insulated lead-in i9 and from thence to a grounding connection with base 2. If desired, lead-in I9 may be dispensed with and connection of lead 39 made directly to base 2. From base 2 a direct electrical path leads to contact I8 through the armature 'I and its mounting, as previously explained. A condenser 42 is placed in shunt connection with the contacts I8 and I9 by a lead 93 connecting with flexible spiral lead 33 and by a lead 943 connecting with the armature l' for the purpose of diminishing deterioration of contacts I8 and I9 in well-known manner.

The engagement of contacts I8 and I9 thus energizes the primary winding, which causes the armature I to be suddenly pulled upward, which movement imparts kinetic energy to piston-rod 2| and the attached piston 25, causing the same to rise to a position such, for example, as that shown in the drawings. This action is very fast. The piston 25 and associated parts then descend, as described above, to bring contacts I8 and I9 again into engagement, whereupon repetition of the cycle occurs in a manner to be continued indeilnitely.

It will be noted that all stages of the piston cycle are accomplished quickly except the pistons intermediate descent under control of calibrated orice 39. The parts of the cycle which are quickly accomplished thus consume only a small per cent of the total time required to complete a cycle. From this it follows that the rate or frequency of the apparatus will remain substantially constant regardless of the height to which the piston 25 rises, so long as the piston 25 is raised at least high enough to uncover initial escape port 29. It is thus possible to employ a battery which initially raises piston 25 as high or higher than the position shown in the drawings. As the output of such a battery declines, the rise of piston 25 will accordingly diminish with only an imperceptible increase in the frequency of the cycle until the -battery no longer has sutllcient power to raise piston 25 beyond initial relief port 29. By the time the vbattery has reached such a condition, however, its useful life is largely spent and the substantial range of constancy of rate of the apparatus of this invention will be found ample from a practical standpoint.

To derive an impulse from the apparatus of this invention, suitable for charging a fence or actuating a signal, the secondary winding previously described is provided. Lead I6 of the secondary winding is for this purpose grounded on base 2 and lead i1 thereof, connected as shown to an hermetically sealed, insulating, high-tension bushing 49. Bushing 49 is composed of a recessed upper member 50 engaged by a lower male member 5i which passes upwardly through a large opening in base 2 into the upper member 5u, as shown. The bushing 49 is held together by a bolt 52 which is cemented in place with a sealing cement and which pulls the parts together against sealing gaskets 53-53 of rubber or other suitable soft material thus providing an hermetically sealed high-tension lead-in.

To support the apparatus of this invention and to provide a mounting for the exterior parts thereof, a depending collar '55 is spot-welded or otherwise fastened to an 11p-turned rim 65, which is formed as a part of the base 2. Suitable grommets are provided in openings in collar 55 for the entrance of leads 3B and 3l and for high-tension lead 5I, which connects with bolt 5.2. A ground connection for the apparatus may be made to binding post 58. bracket 55 rises behind the apparatus, as shown in the drawings, and enters a slot in the rear of collar 55, from which it rises and engages the bottom of base fi and then drops to furnish support for switch Sii. Access to switch 38 is through an aperture in the front of collar 55. A bottom cover 59 may also be provided, as shown in Figs.. l and 2.

'To insure constancy of atmospheric conditions for :the operating parts, an inverted cup-shaped glass cover :i5 is placed upon base 2 within the up-turned rim i5 previously referred to. In the channel formed between the lower edges of cover 46 and the rim et, a sealing composition of waxy or bituminous character is run in hot and allowed to cool, thus hermetically enclosing all operating parts oi the unit. Before running in .the sealing compound, clips lil-lil' may be put in place and held by tamper-prooi seals iS-48. In this manner the operating parts of the apparatus are sealed. Before sealing it is preferred to enclose an atmosphere of air or other gas of low humidity to impede corrosion of parts, deterioration of contacts, and breakdown of insulating materials. I have found that under ordinary'barnyard or iield conditions to which fence chargers are subjected that a very marked increase in the useful iife oi the unit is obtained by so filling and sealing the same. I have found, however, that due to the improvement in insulation in such a sealed unit filled with dry gas the slight leakage of condenser 42 which is ordinarily experienced is not obtained. Since this leakage is beneficial in certain respects in suppressing undesired sparking of the contacts, I propose to supply a predetermined amount of leakage through a iixed resistor 51 placed in A stiff hanging shunt connection with condenser 42, as shown. A suitable value for such resistor is 500,000 ohms, although much larger or smaller resistance values may be employed with advantageous results.

From the foregoing it will be observed that an apparatus is provided which is dependable in its response and immune to the effects of changes in atmospheric conditions and that while a specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described, the advance in the art represented thereby is capable of embodiment in widely varying but equivalent forms. It is, therefore, intended that the protection of letters patent granted hereon be not unnecessarily llmited by this description, but that the same shall extend to the limits of the inventive advance disclosed herein as set forth in the claims hereto appended.

That which I claim as my invention and wish to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus for producing time-spaced electrical impulses, the combination comprising means for displacement of iuid capable oi outward and return strokes, means permitting free displacement 0f fluid by said displacement means during its outward stroke, means for restricting fluid displacement bysaid displacement means during a predetermined intermediate portion of the return vstroke thereof, loading means acting upon said displacement means to urge the same in the return direction, a contact movable in outward and return direction under control of said displacement means, a second contact engageable by said iirst-narned contact when the latter approaches the end of its return stroke and while the same is traveling free of the restraint of said intermediate restraining means, means for creating an electrical impulse actuated by said contacts, and electromagnetic means energized by engagement of said contacts adapted to impart kinetic energy to said displacement means to cause the same to move through its outward stroke against the action of said loading means until said imparted kinetic energy is stored by such loading means in form available to cause the return stroke of said displacement means, whereby said displacement means may be repetitively moved rapidly in the outward direction and under iniiuence oi said loading means and said uid displacement restricting means slowly in the intermediate portion of its return stroke to produce approximately equally time-spaced electrical impulses.

2. In an apparatus for producing time-spaced electrical impulses, the combination comprising a dash-pot capable oi outward and return strokes, means providing tree displacement of fluid by said dash-pot during its outward stroke, means for restricting uid displacement by said dashpot during a predetermined intermediate portion of its return stroke, loading means acting, upon said dash-pot to urge the same in the re.h turn direction, a contact movable in outward and return directions under control of said displacement means, a second contact engageable by said first-named contact when the latter approaches the end of its return movement and while the same is moving free of the restraint of said intermediate restraining means, means for creating an electrical impulse actuated by said contacts, and electromagnetic means energized by engagement of said contacts4 adapted to impart kinetic energy to said dash-pot to cause the same to move through its outward istroke against the action of said loading means until said imparted kinetic energy is stored by said loading means in form available to cause the return strokeof said dash-pot, whereby said from to the outside of said cylinder, a checkvalve in said cylinder for admitting air thereto upon upward movement of said piston, an initial air-escape port in said cylinder intermediate the ends of said cylinder to permit an initial free drop of said piston during its downward stroke, a relatively smaller intermediate air-escape port `for regulating descent of said piston after said initial escape port is closed, a piston-controlled final escape port opened at the lower end of the stroke of said piston to permit a iinal free drop of said piston, a pair of contacts controlled by movement of said piston-rod and brought into engagement thereby atv the lower end of the stroke thereof after opening of said `final escape port, electromagnetic impact means energized by engagement of said contacts arranged to strike said piston-rod with suicient force to cause said piston to rise above said initial escape port each time said contacts come into engagement, and means controlled by engagement of said contacts for creating an electrical impulse.

4. In an apparatus of the class described,the combination comprising a core of magnetic material, a primary winding surrounding said core for magnetizing the same, an armature positioned to be attracted by said core, a vertical cylinder having a cylinderhead and a piston-rod guide in its bottom, a piston slidably mounted for vertical movement in'said cylinder, a depending plston-rod secured to said piston passing through and slidably received in said pistonrocl guide in said cylinderhead, and positioned to receive an upward impact blow from said armature when the latter is attracted by said core, a check-valve in said cylinder for admitting air thereto during upward movement of said piston, an initial relief port in said cylinder closed by said piston in its lower positions for permitting ready escape of air from said cylinder during an initial downward movement of said piston, a restricted relief port for delaying descent of said piston after said initial relief port is closed, a passage in said piston-rod communicating with the interior of said cylinder and extending to the exterior when said piston approaches the end of its downward movement to provide a i'lnal relief port for ready escape of airf permitting a final rapid descent of said piston, a contact carried by said piston-rod, a second contact carried by said armature positioned to be engaged by said rst contact at the bottom of the stroke of said piston-rod, means for supplying electric current to said primary winding while said contacts are in engagement, and a secondary winding positioned to be energized by flux changes in said core.

5. In a timing device suitable for regulating electric interrupters and the like, the combination comprising a cylinder, a cylinderhead in one end of said cylinder, a piston-rod guidingsleeve extending from said cylinderhead, a piston-rod movable in said guide, a piston movable in said cylinder mounted upon said piston-rod, loading means urging said piston toward said cylinderhead, a check-valve in said cylinderhead for admitting air, means for releasing air slowly from said cylinder during an early portion of the stroke of said piston toward said cylinder head and rapidly during a, nal portion of said stroke.

ARTHUR P. JORGENSON. 

